I used to be on ADHD stimulant meds up until I just tried living without them. Was on them as far back as I can remember, and then one day, I had no appetite, so I stopped and realized that the anxiety they gave me was hurting me more than I thought. Now, I'm on anxiety medication that sometimes makes it hard to focus, and I'm not entirely sure how to find that balance of being productive and not having panic attacks daily. Has anyone else experienced this?

[–] xkforce@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

Yes which is why I was switched over to the Strattera generic which isnt a stimulant. It helps but honestly therapy and exercise did most of the work.

[–] NegativeInf@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Yes. Same experience. I have now dropped my Adderall to 2.5 to 5 mg per day, depending on how productive I need to be, splitting between 6 am for the first dose and noon or so for the second if I need it. I take 80mg of atomoxetine as well. Additionally on buspirone for anxiety and prazosin for PTSD symptoms I have from a childhood of undiagnosed ADHD. With that mix I find myself able to do things, capable of feeling some hunger, and not having panic attacks about the most meaningless garbage. But don't take my cocktail as gospel. Brains are weird. Everyone is different. Try everything until you find what balance works for you. If your doctor won't let you try and find the right meds and the right dose, get a different doctor.

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

Sounds similar to my girlfriend. She gets overwhelmed with how much she has to do that she freezes, then has a panic attack because nothing is getting accomplished. I help by picking whatever seems most pressing and telling her to focus on that and nothing else. When it's done we pick another thing.

I'm sure this isn't groundbreaking advice (or even good advice, "just do the thing" yeah no shit), but if you struggle with getting started it might be worth to ask someone to handle organizing the tasks for you.